Explore a Treasured Coastal Forest

In 2016 North Coast Land Conservancy received a donation of 36 acres of forest and stream corridor near Neskowin. The land had served as a homestead, a dairy farm, and most recently the backyard of donor Sue Gabriel, who had developed a deep love for this land and a personal relationship with many of its inhabitants. Join Sue for a walk through Butte Creek Habitat Reserve—or what Sue fondly calls Hesheland and Qtopia. You may even get to meet Heshe, Sue’s favorite giant Sitka spruce.

SUE GABRIEL, a third-generation Oregonian, realized a lifelong dream when she moved to Neskowin in 1994; within a few years she achieved another dream by purchasing a large forested parcel near her home, with the goal of protecting a beloved ancient Sitka spruce there. Five years later she donated the property to NCLC but has remained intimately involved with the land, now serving as the reserve’s volunteer land steward. Sue received a bachelor’s degree in medical record administration from Mills College. Since moving to Neskowin, she has participated in Master Gardener, Watershed Stewardship, and Master Naturalist programs through the OSU Extension Service Service.

Walk info: We will hike between 0.75 and 1.5 miles. The walk will be on unpaved roads, narrow trails, and soggy grassy pasture. There will be a small amount of elevation gain. No toilets on site; public toilets available nearby at Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site. No dogs allowed on site.

What to bring: Water and snacks or lunch. We recommend wearing sturdy waterproof boots or shoes. Dress for the day’s weather.

People+Plants+Wildlife

This male is returning to take his turn incubating the eggs, which are hard to distinguish from the parking lot gravel. The pair started by scraping a slight depression in the gravel, then enhanced it with sticks of wood and

Jeff Roehm is one of NCLC’s most active volunteers. He splits his time among Portland, where he has lived most of his life; Manzanita, where he has a second home; and Seaside, where he grew up and where he serves

When naturalist Neal Maine looks at a tree—or a single leaf, as in the photo above—he doesn’t just see the tree, or the shrub. He sees a gigantic solar panel. Check it out: Photosynthesis, the encyclopedia reminds us, is